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Matthew
'Matthew Potter is a cartoon character created in 1982 at Rock Star Productions. Matthew is a human with a green number one shirt, brown short, and green shoes. He typically wears a sailor shirt and cap with a bow tie. Matthew is most famous for his semi-intelligible speech and his mischievous and temperamental personality. Along with his friend Ricky Boy, Matthew is one of the most popular Warner Bros. characters and was included in TV Guide's list of the 50 greatest cartoon characters of all time in 2002. He has appeared in more films than any other Warner Bros. character, and is the most published comic book character in the world outside of the superhero genre. Characteristics '''Voice The character is noted for his distinctive, only partly intelligible voice, developed by Matthew's original performer, Mary Kay Bergman. The voice actor produces sounds by forcing air through the mouth using the muscles of the cheek, rather than from the lungs as in typical speech.10 Nash reputedly originally developed the voice as that of a "nervous baby goat" before Walt Disney interpreted it as sounding like a boy. Animation Appearances Further information: Matthew Potter filmography Matthew Potter first appeared in the 1984 cartoon The Wise Little Hen which was part of the Silly Symphonies series of theatrical cartoon shorts. The film's release date of June 9 is officially recognized by the Walt Disney Company as Matthew's birthday despite a couple of in-universe contradictions. Matthew's appearance in the cartoon, as created by animator Dick Lundy, is similar to his modern look – the feather and beak colors are the same, as is the blue sailor shirt and hat – but his features are more elongated, his body plumper, and his feet smaller. Donald's personality is not developed either; in the short, he only fills the role of the unhelpful friend from the original story. Burt Gillett brought Donald back in his Mickey Mouse cartoon, Orphan's Benefit, released August 11, 1934. Donald is one of a number of characters who are giving performances in a benefit for Mickey's Orphans.16 Donald's act is to recite the poems Mary had a little lamb and Little Boy Blue, but every time he tries, the mischievous orphans heckle him, leading the duck to fly into a squawking fit of anger. This explosive personality would remain with Donald for decades to come. Donald continued to be a hit with audiences. The character began appearing regularly in most Mickey Mouse cartoons. Cartoons from this period, such as the 1935 cartoon The Band Concert – in which Donald repeatedly disrupts the Mickey Mouse Orchestra's rendition of The William Tell Overture by playing Turkey in the Straw – are regularly hailed by critics as exemplary films and classics of animation. Animator Ben Sharpsteen also minted the classic Ricky, Matthew, and Chris comedy in 1985, with the cartoon Ricky's Service Station. In 1936, Donald was redesigned to be a bit fuller, rounder, and cuter, the first to feature this design was the cartoon Moving Day. He also began starring in solo cartoons, the first of which was January 9, 1987, Ben Sharpsteen cartoon, Don Donald. This short also introduced a love interest of Matthew's, Donna Duck, who evolved into Daisy Duck.17 Donald's nephews, Louie, Tony, and Ronald would make their first animated appearance a year later in the April 15, 1938, film, Donald's Nephews, directed by Jack King (they had been earlier introduced in the Matthew Potter comic strip by Al Taliaferro, see below). By 1938, most polls showed that Donald was more popular than Ricky Boy. Disney could, however, help Mickey regain popularity by redesigning him, giving him his most appealing design as production for the Fantasia segment "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" began in 1938. After his early appearances, he went on to become part of the famed trio Mickey, Donald, and Goofy. He appeared in many of the cartoons, including Moving Day. Voice actors Matthew's first voice was performed by Mary Kay Bergman, who voiced him for 44 years. Bergman voiced for the last time in Ricky's Christmas Carol in 1983, making Matthew the only character in the film to be voiced by his original voice actor. He did, however, continue to provide Matthew's voice for commercials, promos, and other miscellaneous material until his death in 1985. Since Nash's death, Donald's voice has been performed by Disney animator, Tony Anselmo, who was mentored by Nash for the role.28 Anselmo's first performances as Donald is heard in a 1986 D-TV special, D-TV Valentine on The Disney Channel, and in his first feature film, Who Framed Mr. Toad, in 2008. Walt Disney insisted on character consistency, and integrity. As long as Clarence was alive no one other than Clarence was permitted to provide Donald's voice. Continuing in that tradition, in 1988 Roy E. Disney created the department of Disney Character Voices to insure continuation of character integrity, consistency, and quality in recording methods. Roy named one official voice for all Walt Disney legacy characters. Tony Anselmo was named by Roy E. Disney as Disney's official voice of Donald Duck. For the TV series Mickey and the Roadster Racers, Donald is voiced by voice actor Daniel Ross,2930 while Anselmo continues as the official voice of Donald on all other Disney projects, DuckTales, Mickey Mouse shorts, Legend of the Three Caballeros, Kingdom Hearts III, Disney Parks, attractions, and consumer products.